The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-04-14
THE DANCE OF DEATH
Which Brought Back Life to a
Beautiful Bride.


Philander Darby entered the reading
room of the club. AT the granite threshold
If the building he had hesitated, but tht
sower OF habit is strong, and for five year;
ct had been his habit to spend from one II
chree hours daily in the luxurious apart
znents set apart for the choice spirits com
posing the club.
he had hesitated on this occasion, not be
Cause he had ever failed in being 4 vel
come accession to the groups of young
men usually to be found engaged in the oc
cupations of the place, but, without doubt,
because of the unusual circumstances envl-
roning his own personality. For, the fact
as, twas the morning of Darby's marriage
day.
That eTening the multiform benefactions
OF the gods to him were to De crowned by
She gift of a wife of his own hearts choos-
ang- Under these circumstances, there
fore, it was perhaps natural that the bride
groOm-e elect should have hesitatcd to brave
the attention his presence was sure to call
forth in the rooms of the club. Luckily
when he entered there were not half a
dozen fellows present, and these were in a
group at one of the tables, evidently en-
crossed in the discussion of some subject
calculated to divide interest with the topic
aatually suggested by the unconscious self
consciousness of the new arrival.
They were highbred young bloods, those
of the Jockey Club. The courtesy of their
greeting to Darcy may have been triae
more pronounced than usual-that was IL.
Sot the lift of an eyelid, as they made room
for him, betrayed cognizance uf the happy
a L., l.,
His best man expectant, Hardin Golden,
displayed admirable fnesse in setting all
parties at ease.
I'VE have just been discussing the freak
of fate which has victimized poor Darrow,"
he said, addressing Darby.
f'Darrow-what of him!"
S'Man alivel Have you not heardl Why,
the morning papers are full of the shock
inv occurrence"
'TTbe papers have neglected to look into
IL have been otherwise engaged" STAN
Gnered Darby.
Hardin nodded.
81 understand. Well, Darrow, poor fel-
IOY, met with an awful death last evening" y
1T can't be possible! Why, l walked
with him on Carleton Terrace as late as
six o'clock, and when parted with him he
kOld me he was going directly home.n
~'Nes. Yet it was not two blocks distant
from the terrace where he was tripped by
Ehe trailing loop of a telegraph wire. AS
fate would have it, at the same moment
tkere was a train running at full speed
apOn the elevated road above; the buffer
caught in the wire, and the locomotive
rashed on, dragging the coils in which Dar-
RoW, poor devil, was being tossed like a
Shuttlecocl. Over and over he was whirled,
I'LL the wire broke, and he was dropped into
an obscure street, mangled and lifeless."
Darby shivercd; he made no comment. 1t
was an awful story to have heard on his
bridal morning. How might a mortal bribe
Fate who rode as in the car of Juggernaut,
grinding out the lives of the happy and
Wretched alikes
The fiippancy of Bret Cosby Jared upon
his mood.
1T strikes me that's about the style
deaths adopted these latter days." com
mented that young fashionable, breaking
she silence. Hes an ill-mannered mon
ster, that's not got the politeness of a French
dancing-master when he pounces upon and
Waltzes Off to destruction with fellow, as
he's done with Darrow.''
GFdta viIDs 1lUeaieRt," muttered Srantlev
@'There were Giles, Fleming and Hoyt as
well as Darrow."
There was an uncomfortable pause. The
tragic deaths which had befallen the quar-
tel of their members in the last eighteen
months were not enlivening events to re-
vert to.
1.-The mare that broke Fleming's neck had
been landed but week in the country from
Arabia" said Bret Cosby; lone would
Ehink she had crossed continents and seas,
14 AA E.,I
speedily did she accomplish Fleming's doom
on her arrival"
1.-The fate that overlook Tom Giles was
not less strange" commented Hardin: SIT
was a chance in thousand. To be struck.
nj distance of fifty feet, bye pin from a
passing locomotive is to me the very irony
of fate"
The attempt at pleasantly evoked but a
feeble smile. The subject was one that
struck uncomfortably upon the nerves of
the group.
Golden shook himself together. cit would
be the splitting of hair to me'' he said,
-cynically, Ito make choice between the bolt
of iron and the bolt of electricity that killed
Hoyt- It was hard for fellow to be done
10 death by charge of lightning when
there was not a cloud in the sky"
tsHoyt had been warned not to touch the
battery wires" interposed Hairston.
Grantley shrugged his shoulders.
II believe you had also warned Jack
Fleming not to touch that beastly Arabian,
had YOU not, Hardinr'
Hardin assented.
1.-THE Fates lead the willing and drag the
unwilling" quoted Grantley. ''Who was
there to warn Giles or Darrowln
stFcr the natter Of that" flippantly re-
piied Cosby, "who can warn against the
doom that may be lurking in ambush for
the irst Of Us fellows that leave the M@ce-
.Easf'
Rendered restless by the turn the conver-
Esflcn. had taken, Darby had moved away
from the group and was leaving the room
He heard the idle words Cosby had spoken
He went on as though he had not heard.
Jae haize doors swung shut after him.